Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Phase Two

Finally got a ride over to the UPS place and shipped off the computer that didn't work. It should arrive there tomorrow and if they ship another one right away I might get it by Friday. I don't think they will be that speedy though so I am assuming the next one will not arrive until sometime early next week.
I did kinda fib a little when I shipped it off. I told the UPS guy it was just a bunch of electronic parts (which in fairness is true), He assumed it was stereo parts and that's what he put on the ticket. Total charge for shipping was under sixteen dollars.
Years ago one of my sons loaned me a laptop and then he returned home to Washington State. Once I got my desktop up and running (it was messed up) he wanted his laptop back, naturally, and I agreed to ship it by UPS.
I did not think that shipping such a small item would be all that costly but, boy was I wrong. As soon as the UPS guy found out I was shipping a laptop computer the charge for my small box went up to around eighty dollars! I was a working man then and it was my son so it wasn't out of reach to pay it.
Now days though, on this fixed income of mine, there was no way I could afford a high fee because it was a computer in that box so I fibbed a little. Put this under the filing of Things We Do To Save Money when we get older :)

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Computer Saga Continued

I called the customer service people about the computer they sent me that does not work. The lady was very apologetic for both the missing monitor and the malfunctioning computer. Made it very nice, I didn't have to get all grumpy or anything.
I need to find a way to the UPS place and ship it off next. That will cost me about $20 which is okay I guess. Rather not pay it but what else can I do?
Once they get the computer back they will, according to the young lady, send me another computer AND the missing monitor. So, all should be well, I hope!
I am not fond of dealing with customer support people, especially over the phone or in person. Email is better as I can be as mean as I want to be LOL
Will update on this mess when it is all solved.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Muscle Building

It seems like the more society progresses the farther behind in time it goes. We have tons of technology to get us through the mundane task of living day to day yet the streets are not safe. You could always use your cell phone to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency if the thugs give you that chance. Perhaps this explains the recent boost in advertisements for self-defense and getting yourself into better shape.
But, like anything else on the market one needs to know what is the best thing to do and to take to assist you in this muscling up process. If you are going to build muscle you will, if you are like most people, want fast results. But how does one find these products that will grant you quick results without wasting hours and hours of time doing the research?
BuildMuscleFast. org has done all of the hard work for you. They have studied hundreds of ways to build muscle fast and they based their findings on several important criteria:
1. Muscle Building Potential
2. Efficiency
3. Customer Reviews
4. Reorder Rate
5. Side Effects
6. Overall Value
Look at the products they have reviewed and find one that fits your needs to help you along with your exercising plan. Of course you should also discuss these things with your doctor. Your doctor knows more about your body and basic physical and mental health than you do and can help you make the right choices.
When I was younger the ads I saw said things like use Charles Atlas's program and never let a bully kick sand in your face again. These days the ads talk about defending yourself for survival. You need to get into shape and build up your muscles to do that. So, think about it seriously. Get into an exercise plan and take a supplement to assist you with this muscle building. And it wouldn't hurt to take a few self-defense classes either.

Friday, September 17, 2010

What A Bad Day

I got up around 9 a.m. so that I could wait for the UPS man to bring me the computer and monitor I ordered for Shelly. That was my first problem.
By almost 2 p.m. the UPS man had not been here so i re-checked the website to find out that, once again, they could not find my house. So, I called UPS to give them specific instructions on how to find the house. Was tempted, but did not say, try getting out of the truck! A little while later I got an email saying they would deliver it on Monday. So, I went back to bed to take a nap.
I was awakened after about half an hour by UPS local telling me they would try to deliver the package today between 5 and 7 p.m. I said okay and had just started to sleep nicely when the dogs all went crazy and I had to get up. Lo and behold, a UPS man! I got the package.
I opened the box to find that there was NO monitor! Back to this computer I came and sent off an email to Customer Support telling them they forgot the monitor. Grr.
I hook up the new computer to see how it looks. The damned thing does not work! I will have to ship it back to Arizona for them to either replace it or refund my money. I am not a happy camper at the moment.
What seemed like such a great deal has now turned into a major headache for me. I have to pay the cost of shipping it back. I also have to find someone to take me to the UPS office so I can send it back.
Not a good day at all. If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

P90X

Perhaps it is because we, Americans at least, are a flabby bunch of folks that the diet and exercise industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. We eat way too much, eat the wrong things and are generally obese. We lack exercise, real exercise, not just walking from the television set to the kitchen for your latest snack, real, honest to goodness physical exercise!
I see many ads on television and the internet for exercising equipment. They all tell you that you can have the body you want with their product. Heck, some of them even want you to get your exercise while you are watching t.v. which seems silly to me because I know that most people will pay more attention to the t.v. than the exercise equipment they are on. But I guess it is the current "in" thing. My daughter goes to a gym and they have television sets everywhere.
Now there is a new system that seems to be gaining in popularity called the p90x or Power 90 Extreme. The P90X is a home exercise system developed by Tony Horton in conjunction with Beachbody and director Mason Bendewald. It claims to improve physical fitness in 90 days through a rigorous segmented training program combined with a nutrition and dietary supplement plan.
The idea is to not always do the same exercises in the same order. This, they say, prevents the body from getting used to the routine. While this may be true I would think it is more beneficial in that the body and mind do not get bored by the same daily routine. Face it, exercise can be dull and monotonous.
If you are one of those interested in this new exercise and weight loss plan I urge you to read the blog I linked to before. It is an honest review of the P90X and the plan as a whole. It lists problems associated with the P90X and how to deal with these problems by at least being aware that they exist.
Every exercise and/or diet plan will generate individual results. There is no magic cure-all. What you get out of these types of plans is what you put into them. If you work hard to succeed, you will get good results. If you put very little effort into it you probably won't see any results at all. It is all up to you.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Accident?

I took a leap of faith when I bought the new computer for Shelly. It said it came with a monitor but they did not answer my email in time so I had to take a chance.
The next day I got an email from someone in their Customer Service Department:

Hello, thank you for your interest in our products. Yes, it does come with the 15" monitor. I even double checked on the auction itself and confirmed that it does.

I have saved the email and everything else that I could, just in case. PayPal offered Buyers Protection on this item which is why I took the leap of faith to begin with.

This afternoon I went to look at the item from my Ebay page and they have re-listed the computer, without a monitor.

Interesting! Wonder if they realized that someone messed up with the first listing? perhaps they should be happy that of the five they listed they only sold one. I anxiously await this package :)

No Sleep

I moderate a chat room on a game site as my loyal readers know. I have the shift from 9 p.m. to midnight Pacific Time. A large percentage of the players are on the Eastern side of the country as well as many foreign players with much different time zones. One of the things I have noticed about a lot of these players is that they say goodnight in the chat lobby but are back a short while later saying that they cannot sleep.
Most adults have experienced insomnia or sleeplessness at one time or another in their lives. An estimated 30%-50% of the general population are affected by insomnia, and 10% have chronic insomnia. So, given the statistics, I should not be surprised that so many of our game players suffer from it. But I also wonder why these players do not get a cure for their sleeplessness. How difficult is it to talk to someone about an insomnia treatment?
If I could not sleep on a regular basis I would certainly be asking my doctor for help. At the very least I would be scouring the internet for a solution. Of course this would take hours and hours and I would, like my players, be distracted by other things like playing games.
But, all is not hopeless! There is a place where you can go to find helpful information that you can use to get yourself some much needed sleep. The products that they review on their site on non Rx meaning no prescription is necessary, meaning you won't have to talk to a doctor if you do not wish to do so.
Take a few moments to check out the website, find a product that is right for your needs and get ready to enjoy some decent sleep for a change. A good nights sleep will make you a much healthier person in the long run.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

For My Girls

Finally found another bargain on Ebay so that I could get my wife (and I'm sure my daughter) her own computer. She still refuses to use this one. Here is what I got her:




Now the description says it comes with a 15 inch monitor so I hope that is true! Computer is no good without a monitor LOL
It ships from Arizona so it shouldn't take that long to get here. Depends on whether or not UPS can find my house this time.
It should make my wife happy. Once I set up a few things on it like the wireless system it should be good to go and hers :)

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Stunned

I no longer drive as I have no car and no way to buy another on my fixed income which means that travel for my household is either by bus, taxi or foot. Occasionally the two females that live with me go out at night. Even though this area isn't as dangerous as some I still worry about their safety.
I found this website that deals in stun guns. I kind of like the idea that they could pull one of these out of their purse and totally be in control of a bad situation. Thankfully I live in California where the sales of such stun guns are allowed.
Check out this one:


It is called Runt and it sells for the nice price of under forty dollars. Nice price for something that delivers up to 350,000 volts! That will stop anyone in their tracks, I'm sure. And it's certain to deliver peace of mind to me at home as well as to the two females as they travel around the neighborhood or walk home late from the movie theater.
If conditions in your area have changed and you have any concerns about your personal safety, you owe it to yourself to check these things out. You cannot put a price on safety. I must inform you however that the website will not sell or ship to the following states: Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
Take a gander at the goods they offer. You and your loved ones are worth it.

Tired

I am tired these days. Perhaps it is because Mother Nature cannot seem to make up her mind whether it is still Summer or let's skip Autumn altogether and head straight into Winter.
I love the desert but sometimes the weather here can drive you bonkers. One day it can be the proverbial 110 in the shade, the next day you're wondering where your sweater is hiding it's so cold.
Or, perhaps, and I hate to think it, I am simply getting old. I turn sixty in a few months so I know that I am getting up there. But like most folks, I just don't want to admit it. I cannot even use the adage that you're only as old as you feel because most days I feel like I am ninety LOL
So, here I sit at almost two thirty in the morning, tired. I should be sound asleep like the rest of the world. Instead I am sitting at the computer typing away doing blog posts. Yep, I am odd that way.
One more post to do after this one and I shall be done for the night. Then I can take my pain medication to ease my bad back pains and fall asleep :)

If The Shoe Fits

If the shoe fits, it must be Merrel. The makers of merrell shoes pride themselves on a great fitting pair of shoes and they have for over 26 years.
Merrel has changed with the times. While they still cater to the outdoors type they also offer other styles like dress shoes and even sandals/thongs. And, if you are one of those that have special needs they also offer some Insoles & Orthotics. Cool, huh?
Whether your interests lie in hiking trails or simply walking the sidewalks of your town as you head off for lunch at the corner cafe, Merrel has a shoe that will fit your needs. And the prices are comparable or better than the average shoe store. Shipping is free when your order is over $59.98. Free is always good in my book.
Speaking of free, they also offer free return shipping if you need to return the shoes to them. Although I doubt that you will, it's nice to know that the option is there for you.
Should you have any questions not answered to your satisfaction on the website you can reach customer service representatives by phone, toll-free, at 1-800-720-0572 ext. 1.
So, look at those old, tired, worn out shoes of yours. It's time to seriously get into a new, comfortable pair of Merrel shoes!

Wahhhhhhh

They may be adults, but sometimes the players on the game site I moderate chat for sound like little children crying.
The site went down today while it is at its busiest. Hey, sites go down, it's part of internet life. Yes, we were extremely busy running a lot of games. Yes, they were all games that pay out more than most of our games. But, and this is the important part, the site is free! Nobody lost any money, they just lost the game they were playing.
But, once the site is back up into the lobby they come, in droves. All crying and moaning and groaning that they lost. Well, I feel for them. I was almost to the getting some cash part of my game when the site died. But the big difference is I am telling them it's not life threatening or anything, there is always the next game, the site is free, and all they are doing is crying into their beer.
What a bunch of babies. It is the internet people. You want real life turn off the computer and play games like people did before the internet.

Door Chimes

I don't know why but it seems like doorbells have never been all that pleasant. Maybe it's just the cheap sound that they make because the company that built the house didn't want to go the extra mile and get something more expensive. Or perhaps it's because they never seem to last very long before the sound goes out of tune.
Wouldn't it be nice to have someone come to your door and you hear something pleasant, like door chimes? Of course it would. But, you are maybe thinking that you don't want to mess around with the old doorbell and all the wiring that is involved, right? Well, think again, my friend, because you don't have to do any of that wiring stuff if you don't want to.
Dimango dot com carries a large variety of both plugin and battery operated wireless door chime and wireless door chimes. These are do-it-yourself door chime installations that require no additional wiring. Simply plug in the batteries and, voila, you are ready to hear pleasant chimes when someone comes calling.
Of course, if you are a handyman type, they also offer a selection of wired door chimes as well. Personally, I am not good at that sort of thing so I would definitely be going the wireless route.
Whichever suits your fancy though you can get rid of the raspy sounding doorbell that you now own and get something more agreeable to hear when visitors call on you.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

I Did It Again

Okay, I admit it, I am an idiot at times. Those who know me would probably say all the time but I hope that is not the truth.
Looks like this blog will be bombarded with posts again today as I did not look at my assignments as carefully as I should have and they are all due by tomorrow! Yikes!
So, again, I apologize my friends for filling this blog up with so much in one day. I do, however, hope that you will take the time to read all of the posts as they can be educational and we are never to old to learn something new.

Plug And No Play

I bought a spare modem because mine is old and likes to cut off at the most inopportune times. Like most DSL modems this one is plug and play. For me, however, it became plug and NO play.
The truly odd part is that while the modem would not give me internet access on my desktop it provided wireless connection to my wife's iPod and my daughter's laptop. What the heck?? I plugged my old modem back in and now it wouldn't give me access either.
Since I had my moderator shift to do I plugged in a wi-fi connector modem and that worked just fine for the night.
Yesterday I found instructions and went and changed some things in the computer's registry. Now my old modem gives me access to the internet and my email. Of course, it still turns itself off every now and then. Crazy thing.
I tried to get a new on from Verizon, what a joke. The tech guy tells me that if the power comes on then the modem is fine. LMAO

The Better To See You With

I once went to a Neil Diamond concert in Seattle thinking I had okay seats and would be just fine. Turns out my okay seats were somewhere in what would best be described as the nosebleed section. I could see him and the band alright, but they looked like miniatures. Someone in front of my wife and I offered to let me use their binoculars for a few moments. Wow! What a difference!
Now, whenever I go to a concert or a sporting event like a baseball game I make sure to take my binoculars along. You just never know what your seats are like until you are at the stadium and then it's too late to run home and get them. Even if you have terrific seats binoculars can be fun. You can get a real close look at baserunners or the defense. I like to check out the pitcher to see how bad he is sweating if things start to get out of hand.
Whether you are into going to concerts or sporting events or even bird watching, binoculars come in very handy. Sometimes I just like to sit in the yard and check out the birds, especially in the early Spring when they start to build their nests. Birds are incredibly imaginative when it comes to nest building. Amazing the things they can find to use to make that nest strong.
No matter what you like to do I am certain you could benefit from a nice pair of binoculars. Their selection of binoculars come in all sorts of magnifications and objective sizes. Features of the binocular selection also include: roof prism, porro prism, center focus, individual eyepiece focus, focus free binoculars, and digital camera binoculars. Sizes of our binoculars range from mini binoculars to compact binoculars to midsize binoculars to full size binoculars and go as high as our giant binoculars. That is a lot of things to choose from! They even have waterproof binoculars in case you are one of those lucky enough to go boating.
Get a better view of your world, get yourself some binoculars today.